The School of Performing Arts brings together students and faculty who share their passion for the arts and provides opportunities for creativity, scholarship, and real world experience.
Our dedicated faculty members are seasoned professionals who are deeply connected to the arts community. They are focused on helping students reach their dreams and aspirations and offer extensive professional expertise and networks. The department is extremely influential in the Fargo-Moorhead arts community, through active faculty involvement in professional music and theatre groups. Every year the department sponsors exceptional student performances, nationally recognized visiting artists and several community outreach events.
Our graduates enjoy rich and varied careers in theatre, music, education and arts industries. The department is a vibrant community of passionate artists who provide immersive and collaborative hands-on learning combined with one-on-one mentorship in the classroom, the studio, on stage, and on- and off-campus performance opportunities.
Students benefit from a variety of vocal and instrumental ensemble opportunities such as Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Combos, and private lessons for voice, instruments and composition. Students will grow professionally and personally through involvement in the University Theatre Series and The Straw Hat Players.
The School of Performing Arts honors tradition while embracing innovation to deliver rigorous and progressive programs that help our students realize their potential as passionate leaders in their creative work and to develop their talents into a career—and life—in the world of the arts.
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Interested in Theatre?
Theatre B, Fargo-Moorhead’s only resident professional theatre company, is producing its current play with a good bit of help from MSUM students and alums. The play, How the World Began, has three characters who argue over science and religion in a tornado-ravaged Kansas town. Two of the three actors are affiliated with MSUM. Kate Aarness […]
Saturday, Sept. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Fox Recital Hall We are delighted to welcome music department alumni Michelle Gelinski (1991) and Tim Eischens (1992) back to their alma mater. Ms. Gelinski and Mr. Eischens will present a vocal recital this Saturday evening in Fox Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Denise Gorseline, Dean of the […]
MSUM Theatre Arts faculty Craig Ellingson and Julie Adams recently performed with MSUM students Jeanna Zenz, Joseph Schwartz, and Kyler Rayhill in a short concert for the Fargo Fine Arts Club. Musical theatre selections from throughout Broadway history were presented, as well as a short preview about this coming year’s University Theatre Series. For more […]
Oct. 5 - 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Gaede Stage
On Sept.15 the School of Media Arts & Design hosted a student mixer in the Center for the Arts Great Hall. The annual event (now in its sixth year) was organized to increase collaboration and foster an atmosphere of continuing cooperation between students of SoMAD (Film, Animation, Graphic Communications, Graphic Design and Photography) and students of […]